PWS_Lost_River_Weed_Control_Draft_1.pdf

Performance Work Statement

Lost River Noxious Weed Abatement

Klamath Basin Area Office

I. INTRODUCTION

This Bureau of Reclamation, Klamath Basin Area Office (Reclamation) requires noxious weed abatement on

Federal lands and rights-of-way within the Klamath Project, in particular along the Lost River and Miller Creek in

Klamath County, Oregon.

II. PURPOSE

Weed abatement is required to prevent and reduce the economic, environmental and social impacts of noxious weeds. The goal is to suppress the expansion and if possible, eliminate noxious weeds.

III. AUTHORITY

The Reclamation Act of 1902 (ch. 1093, 32 Stat. 388), and acts amendatory and supplementary thereto; the Federal Noxious Weed Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-629; 88 Stat. 2148; 7 U.S.C. § 2814), as amended by the Plant Protection Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-224, Title IV; 7 U.S.C. § 7701, et seq.); and Executive Order 13112.

IV. BACKGROUND

Noxious weed is an invasive species of a plant that has been designated by country, state or provincial, or national agricultural authorities as one that is injurious to agricultural and/or horticultural crops, natural habitats and/or ecosystems, and/or humans or livestock. Most noxious weeds are introduced species (non-native) and have been introduced into an ecosystem by ignorance, mismanagement, or accident. Occasionally some are native.

Typically they are plants that grow aggressively, multiply quickly without natural controls (native herbivores, soil chemistry, etc.), and adversely affect native habitats, croplands, and/or are injurious to humans, native fauna, and livestock through contact or ingestion. Noxious weeds are a large problem in many parts of the world, greatly affecting areas of agriculture, forest management, nature preserves and parks, and other open space lands.

Reclamation is responsible for noxious weed management on its lands and rights-of-way within the Klamath Project, in particular along the Lost River and the lower portion of Miller Creek. Generally, the contract is for treating noxious weeds along the river or creek (roughly 5’- 80’ on either side), Wilson Reservoir consisting of

8.8 miles of shoreline or roughly 110 acres of land (including wetlands and islands). The total distance is approximately 28.2 river miles, encompassing an estimated 423 acres.

Treatment of noxious weeds is a time sensitive issue requiring constant monitoring of growth stage for optimal control using specific herbicides (e.g. while some species are actively growing, or other species are in their rosette stage -- research is required if the plant species is unfamiliar). Attachment 1 provides the 2025

Klamath County list of noxious weeds.

Access onto many of the treatment areas can be difficult. Many of the areas are inaccessible through Reclamation rights-of-way, requiring the contractor to obtain permission to access through private lands. Some lands (islands) at Wilson Reservoir are surrounded entirely by water and access is usually hampered by shallow water with heavy aquatic vegetation. Access routes and location of treatment areas are shown on the following attached maps:

• Attachment 2: Langell Valley Treatment Areas

• Attachment 3: Poe Valley Treatment Areas

• Attachment 4: Wilson Reservoir Treatment Areas

Due to the difficulty in accessing certain islands, Reclamation cooperates with the Contractor to provide an operator with an airboat for applications occurring approximately four to six days each year. This is referred to as the Wilson Reservoir Cooperative Project (WRCP). An Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan has been completed for this area and is available from Reclamation. The Lost River, including Miller Creek, and Wilson Reservoir, is occupied by endangered Lost River and shortnose suckers and is considered a sensitive area. Both suckers are listed as endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasive_species http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horticultural http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livestock http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introduced_species http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fauna http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forestry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_reserves http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_park

Environmental compliance (e.g., ESA, National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Water Act) is the responsibility of Reclamation and the contractor.

V. CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS

The contractor shall provide all labor, materials, and equipment in accordance with this Performance Work

Statement (PWS) with the exception of completion on the WRCP, as referenced above.

The contractor shall control all noxious weeds as declared annually by the Klamath County Board of

Commissioners.

The contractor shall provide licensed pesticide applicators with a minimum of one-to-one ratio of licensed Public

Applicator’s to Pesticide Apprentice/Trainee’s. On-site supervision by a licensed Public Applicator is required for each licensed Pesticide Apprentice/Trainee in accordance with State of Oregon guidelines. All Public

Applicators shall be licensed by Oregon Department of Agriculture with categories of: Regulatory Weed Control and Right-of-Way. For the WRCP, the contractor shall provide 4 licensed applicators. Proof of licensing shall be required of all applicators prior to commencement of work.

The contractor shall have direct experience in the application of herbicides for large areas (>300 ac) within riparian zones and sensitive areas.

Due to the difficulty in accessing Reclamation lands, a contractor with in-depth knowledge of and/or direct experience working in the Lost River and Miller Creek areas is required to obtain necessary permission for timely access.

Environmental and Safety Compliance Documentation

The contractor shall submit the following documentation prior to commencement of work and maintain compliance throughout the contract period:

• Copies of all pesticide labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for herbicides to be used.

• Documentation demonstrating compliance with the Endangered Species Act (ESA), National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and Clean Water Act requirements applicable to treatment activities.

• A spill response plan detailing procedures for handling accidental chemical releases.

Safety and Insurance Requirements

The contractor shall comply with all applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards and provide proof of liability insurance and worker’s compensation coverage prior to starting work.

VI. TASKS

Upon receipt of executed award and option years, contractor will submit to the Contracting Officer’s

Representative (COR) the following: Task A) Provide a Work Plan for current year (season) within 7 working days for approval or adjustment. The Work Plan shall describe in detail how and when the work shall be performed to achieve the maximum benefit for weed control. This shall include the name of each weed, herbicide used, and the proper growth stage at application. A separate section shall detail how the WRCP shall be performed. The plan shall include who shall perform the application work (including mapping), a current listing of their qualifications, and who shall coordinate with the COR. Upon submittal, the COR will provide approval or an adjustment within 3 working days. Additionally, the plan shall state the contractor will provide AT LEAST 48 hours’ notice via phone or email to the COR prior to commencing treatment at each area.

Once the Work Plan is approved: Task B) Safely apply herbicides to noxious weeds at optimum times to achieve maximum control. As agreed upon per approved Work Plan.

At the end of each year (season) May- October: Task C) Contractor will provide a year-end report at the end of each season, which shall consist of the information as the following two items: 1) Work Summary - A short summary detailing the progress made for each area, and 2) Pesticide Use and Cost Summary - A spreadsheet summary of the total amount of each pesticide used for each area. Provide an informational summary of pesticide usage and estimated cost allocation by area for reporting purposes only. This data will not be used for payment determination.

Task D) Photo Documentation – The contractor shall take geo-tagged photographs of all treated areas showing conditions before and after treatment. Photos shall clearly depict the treatment area boundaries and be submitted electronically in a format approved by the COR. When the treatment area is extensive and cannot be captured in a single image, the contractor shall segment the area into logical sections and provide representative photos for each segment. An overview map showing the full treatment area with segment boundaries shall accompany the photo documentation, and all photos must retain GPS metadata to confirm location. These photos, along with the map and a photo log detailing segment ID, coordinates, and treatment description, shall be included in the Annual

Report.

Task deliverables and quality assurance monitoring shall be referenced for performance rating and compliance in accordance with and referred to as follows:

Task A – Work Plan

Task B – Herbicide Application

Task C – Annual Report

Task D – Photo Documentation

VII. GOVERNMENT-FURNISHED PROPERTY

Through coordination with the contractor, Reclamation can provide the Contractor with an airboat and qualified boat operator no more than 6 days per year for the WRCP. Requests for the airboat and operator must be made 14 days prior to application to allow for proper planning and scheduling.

VIII. DELIVERABLES

(a) Task A – The contractor will meet with COR within 7 working days of award of this contract for a pre-work meeting, and present a final Work Plan within 7 days of the pre-work meeting to the Contracting

Officer (CO) and COR. The COR may accept the Work Plan on behalf of the CO.

(b) Task B – Daily application logs for each site, separated by each of the following areas, are to be submitted with each monthly invoice:

1. Miller Creek

2. Lost River (Langell/Poe Valleys)

3. Wilson Reservoir

(c) Task C (Draft) – The contractor shall produce and submit to COR an electronic draft Annual Report in the manner described above for review by October 31, of each year. Within 3 working days, the COR will review and if any revisions are required, contractor will also have 3 working days to respond. The final report will be agreed upon by both parties.

(d) Task C (Final) – Contractor shall submit an electronic final Annual Report NLT November 30 of each year.

(e) Task D – Photo Documentation: The contractor shall submit geo-tagged photographs for all treated areas.

Photos shall accompany the Annual Report and provide visual verification of work performed.

IX. PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

(a) Monitoring Performance

The COR will monitor contractor performance throughout the period of performance to ensure compliance with the PWS requirements. Monitoring may include site inspections, review of deliverables, and verification of adherence to the approved Work Plan.

(b) Quality Assurance

Performance will be assessed in accordance with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) and the Performance Requirements Summary (PRS). The Government will document any deficiencies and require corrective action within a reasonable timeframe.

(c) Contractor Communication

The COR may provide interim feedback to the contractor to identify strengths and areas for improvement. The contractor is encouraged to address any deficiencies promptly.

X. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY (PRS) AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

SURVEILLANCE PLAN (QASP)

Performance Requirement

Summary

Acceptable Quality Level Method of Surveillance

Adherence to schedule set by: Tasks

A, B, C, & D

Timeliness: All tasks shall be performed within the specified tolerance 98% of the time, excluding delays caused by circumstances beyond the contractor’s reasonable control, such as severe weather, restricted access, or other unforeseen conditions. The contractor must notify the COR in writing within 24 hours of any such delay, providing justification and an updated schedule for completion.

COR will track schedule.

Quality of Field Work set by:

Task B

Successful review without major deficiencies (i.e., missing herbicide application of sites, misapplication of herbicides resulting in contamination of water).

Expect any deficiencies to be remedied within a week.

The COR shall verify completion by random inspection method.

Quality of Deliverables for:

Tasks A, C, & D

Successful review with no more than

5 minor deficiencies (e.g., missing daily application logs, miscalculation of charges to application sites, inaccurate data and mapping summary in annual report) in the final report.

Review by COR